Combating Mental Illness with Support
By Dr. James Pitts
Serious mental illnesses, such as bipolar, depression, panic/anxiety feelings, and schizophrenia, are common and worldwide. Mental illness is an equal opportunity life event.
Poor, rich, and middle class persons experience mental illness. People of faith as well as nonreligious persons experience mental illness. According to recent measures of mental illness in the United States nearly one in five Americans has a diagnosable mental illness but many get no treatment.
There are two reasons for optimism about improving mental health. The Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) vastly expands mental health care for millions of people who were previously uninsured or whose existing health insurance policies did not include mental health coverage comparable to coverage for other illnesses. The second reason for optimism is the modern social movement focused on mental health recovery. Professionals now argue that mental health recovery is a realistic goal for many persons.
Retired educators Dr. Jim and Sharon Pitts again will teach the NAMI Family-to-Family course in Asheville for family members, care-givers, and associates of persons who are experiencing serious mental illness. NAMI, which stands for the National Alliance on Mental Illness, developed this free education program to counter the widespread belief that families are powerless in the face of mental illness.
Many Family-to-Family (F2F) graduates report that the F2F class is a life-changing experience. Nearly 4,000 North Carolinians are among the 300,000 alumni of this acclaimed class. The U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration has added NAMI Family-to-Family to the National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices.
The class will meet twice a week, Tuesday evenings and Saturday afternoons, beginning October 7, 2014 at Bethel Seventh Day Adventist Church on 238 South French Broad Avenue. Because class size is limited (20 persons), early registration is required.
For more information call Jim and Sharon: (828) 258-5359, e-mail: [email protected]
